Article from "London Info" #09, 17-23 December 2010

Title
- "Victoria Kovalenchikova: a brave artist and an ambitious gallery
owner"

Author
- Daria Alyukova.

A young but distinguished artist, Victoria was
born in Belarus where she studied and had her first exhibitions. Her excellent
technique and expressive style quickly gained recognition. She moved to
Amsterdam 2,5 years ago and made the next step - opened her gallery. Her works
were recently presented in London at Art Bizarre Salon. We talked to Victoria
about the vital elements of success.

Did the move to the Netherlands influence your
works?
Yes, environment always has tremendous impact on every artist. Amsterdam, a
very lively and artistic city, brings a lot into my works. There is a vast
community of creative people working here, dozens of galleries. Also, many
relevant events and art fairs take place almost every week. You can even say
that Amsterdam is in a way supersaturated with art. I moved to the Netherlands
2.5 years ago. Naturally, it added new features to my paintings. I think this
chance to change your environment is a great gift for an artist - it opens your
eyes, and you have fresh perspective. I even think that you can see more things
than the locals, as soon as a newcomer is more sharp-eyed. Also, the whole
arrangement is quite stressful, and I believe it gives you momentum. If you
live in one and the same place for many years, you get relaxed.

How can you describe a situation with art
sphere in the Netherlands?
> Local artists are in a way "spoiled" by the abundance of grant
programmes and scholarships. The Netherlands used to be even more generous
before the financial crisis, but even now there are many opportunities. I think
there is a delicate balance between supporting artists and spoiling them with
too much financing. May be an artist needs to stay a bit hungry to keep
developing.

How big is the difference in the art education
in Europe and post-Soviet countries?
Well, in post-Soviet countries it is much more conservative. Much attention is
given to polishing the technical skills. However, it is a tremendous
"competitive advantage" here - European artists often highlight my
technique. In Europe the focus in art education is shifted towards conceptual
self-expression, and it often to the prejudice of classical skills. At the same
time, in post-Soviet countries realism is still strong, this causes focusing on
skills of realistic representation. But this is also insufficient in and of
itself; without personal ideas it is impossible to say a new word in art.

In Europe there is much more artistic freedom, but the reverse of the coin is
obvious - if you are not orderly, this lack of control and schedule
discourages. Some discipline is vital. There is a very fine line - too much
artistic freedom is as unfavourable as too little of it.

So self-discipline is one the vital personal
characteristics of a successful artist. What other features do you consider
important?
Hard work is what allows you to unlock the natural potential. A talented but
lazy and unambitious artist has few chances for success. Self-motivation is a
key to achievement.

You mention technique and concepts as vital
elements. What else matters in a piece of art?
I think emotions are essential. Sometimes you look at a painting and see the
perfect technique, but it does not touch you... I think that emotions and
energy are the reason why some pieces of art sell for millions.

Why did you decide to open your own gallery?
It seemed to be an obvious next step. By the time I moved to the Netherlands, I
already had peer recognition and media exposure in my own country, so I was
quite confident. I wanted to make a statement as soon as possible, and opening
a gallery was the best way to do that in my case. I took that risk.

So you are an artist and a gallery owner in
one. How difficult is that?
It really helps to be an artist yourself when you need to pick the works of
other artists for the gallery. This experience allows you to create a very
strong exposition where all the pieces are in harmony. But all this takes a lot
of time and effort, of course. It doubles the work in fact. And it is crucial
not to get distracted by organizational matters, not to forget that creative
side is central.

What is your know-how, your personal technique?
First of all, I don't use an easel - I put canvas on the floor. I work with a
palette-knife to put epoxy paint first; it creates beautiful texture, a
powerful brushstroke. Then I cover it with a thin layer of oil paint, it gives
the impression of liquidity. Once a reviewer wrote that my works show
"watercolor oil".

You use some innovative materials, is that the
influence of conceptual Amsterdam?
Yes, this is a perfect example of how environment can affect art. This country
is famous for great industrial design and interest to new technologies.

What are your further plans and ambitions?
In the beginning of 2011 I will have a solo exhibition in London - this is a
big step forward. I have many ideas and plans in terms of artistic development,
and I would like to have exhibition in other major cities in many countries.

Paste:
The solo exhibition of Victoria's works will take place from 10th February to
13th of April in Business Exchange, 55 Broad street, Liverpool street tube. A
special event will be also organized on the 8th of March to celebrate the
International Women's Day.